sheldon neeley

The Flint City Council may soon try to push out the city’s emergency manager.

Flint has been under the control of an emergency manager appointed by the governor since 2011. Three men have served as Flint’s emergency manager. Darnell Earley was appointed to the job a year ago. His 18-month appointment ends next Spring.

But that’s not soon enough for City Councilman Sheldon Neeley.

“Democracy needs to be restored, today, right now,” says Neeley.

Neeley says the current emergency manager law gives the city council the power it needs to remove Earley.

Next year, the city of Flint will charge residents higher fees in exchange for less service.

The budget plan unveiled last night was greeted with anger from city residents and city council members.

The budget plan calls for trimming 20 percent of city government workers from the payroll. Flint police officers and firefighters are not being spared. The emergency manager didn't include public safety officers in the budget whose positions are funded with grant money that hasn't been secured yet.